Sister Roma held an ornament a child gifted her during the Castro holiday tree lighting ceremony December 1.

Photo: JL Odom

San Francisco’s Castro LGBTQ neighborhood is brighter around this time of year, with homes and storefronts aglow with lighted decorations and trees. The clearest – and tallest – marker of the season in the Castro is its holiday tree at the Bank of America Plaza.

On Monday, more than 100 people gathered near the corner of Castro and 18th streets for the annual Castro holiday tree lighting ceremony, which took place from 6 to 6:30 p.m. on what was also World AIDS Day. The event, emceed by Donna Sachet , was full of laughs, smiles, Christmas songs and uplifting statements about San Francisco and its LGBTQ community.

“The Castro tree lighting is one of those tradition

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